The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-09-09

\ men brought before the King OF Kings,
We're he but great in little things2
SOL. TAYLOR'S ESCAPE.
Now York Sun.
/ came West when I was seventeen
years OF age {said old Sol. Taylor,
Of GEORGETOWN, Colorado, the
other day.. and now Pm a bit over
sixty. You figser that up and see
how long I've been diminishing with
Indians, grizzlies, andpanthers, rattle
snakes and the other pesky varmints
OF the mountain, plain and prairie.
There hasn't been an Indian warrior the
last half century that l haven't lad a
hand in, and I recon I've had as many
stand-up fights on my own hook as
any scout or hunter you car name.
] have been captured and put to the
torture twice. and been captured and
got away without torture three or
four times. In times OF peace l have
with the Pawnees, Kiowas,
1ss1es. Sioux, Cheyennes, and Black
I'D; End in times OF war l have fought
10 proventrlbes. Mebbe l am, there.
Rssssts. y Jam. ny good judge OF Indian ma
Of Kimball. n when you ask
Long q R1n tribe of redskins has the
most honor l reply that / never yet
saw an lndain whom I would trust q
rod. The only reason that some of
'em have served the Government as
scouts and traitors is because they
happened to hate their own kind just
then a little wuss than they did the
white man. However, you want some
OF my own adventures, and / will give
you one:
Before the days OF railroads in the
West II nan who was spilin' for an
Indian fight could get it within rife
shot OF Fort Kenrney, and this state
OF affairs continued up to 1866 and
later. The last time I was captured
n on the Smoky Hill fork Of the
Kansas River, and it was while the
railroad WAS being pushed across the
State OF Kansas. A railroad through
the Indian country meant eood-by to
game and good-by to the Indian. The
redskin realized this as. forcibly
as the white man, and he
was on hand to fight the
progress OF the road. He was
foolish enough to suppose that the
killing off OF Il few scouts and survey
ors would stop all work, and by the
time the road was half way across
the STATE OF Kansas every Indian
who had any patriotism about MIN
al in front OF it and doing battle.
The contractors had to employ a
great many scouts and fighters to
protect the advance men, and l was
one OF those thus engaged. In the
five months OF my employment l kill
. ed thirty-nine Indians and brought
thirty-nine scalps to camp, and there
were other scouts who did as we'll or
better. We did not lose neal as
many men in proportion, as we
fought entirely ON the defensive, and
had all the advantage.
My capture occurred one morning ir
September. One OF the engineers O
tho road had been on q spree, and
while verglng on delirium tremens had
LETT camp and wondered OFF. He had
been gone two or three hours before
he was missed, and at midnight o
O rainy, gusty night six of us
started out on foot to hunt him up
As no one knew the direction he had
taken, each OF us went his own way
There We're plenty of Indians nrounc
us, and a scout had been wounded
that afternoon within half q mile o
our camp. Each man of us who wen
out took big chances OF being captur
ed, but there was no hesitating o.
hanging back on that account. Oul
camp was close to the river, and M,
first move vas to ross the stream
The water was no more than wais
deep, and / had no trouble in reach
ing the other bank. The engineer
whose name vas Sewell, had zone oil
in his shirt and trousers and boots
He a ~bareheaded, out of his senses
and had no weapons OF any sort
My only hope OF finding him was tina
he would become exhausted befor
going far and sit down.
Once across the stream, / held t,
the north for about q mile, and the
turned to the left and kept on unit
/ had described O quarter of q circl
and come to the river again.
then went back to the startin
point and bore to the right, and j
was while on my way to tine river tina
ar AZ, IrI;n,1e, Eo,,I.JA-1- ,~ea 49,, k,1,
the grass at my feet and seized ms
I can't say that was off my. guard
but it did seem a bit queer to me as
thought it over afterwards that
should let the skunks get such an ad
vantage oYe me. l could see fairl
well for twenty feet or more aroun
me, but the fellows Rugged the cart
so closely, and l happend to walk 8
straight into the trap, that wasdon
for before | knew what was &C
ing on. Not q yell was uttered-no
a word spoken Two of them trippe
me up, and the other two piled on t
me and disarmed HE, and in less tina
q minute my arms were jerked benin
ME and made fast, and away we wer
to the northwest on a trot. Thi
was maintained for abont q mil,
when we came upon q party OF fl
ty mounted redskins, and i
the midst OF them / found Sewel
He was PROSTATE with exhaustio
and fear, and when / spoke to hin
which act the Indians seemed rattle
to encourage, he began crying an
sobbing like u child. l was lifted u
behind a. warrior and of we went ut
gallon, riding to the west and keepit
close to the river until we had mac
at least fifteen miles. Then we can
upon III Indian village as it was grow
ing dnviiaht.
Ny feelings during that ride wei
anything but agreeable, | can assul
you. The fact that ! was not kilie
at the moment of my capture had
significance which l well understoo'
/ was inst as certain to 90 to thestal
for torture MS ] remained q prisone
and ] did n heap OF thinking in hop,
to get plan for escape. Mounted b
hind an Indian. my arms tied SO tigh